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Martin Odegaard has given Arsenal a much-needed lift ahead of this weekend's North London Derby against Tottenham, stating that his injury recovery is "starting to look better".
This international break has been the most challenging for the Gunners so far this season. In contrast to previous breaks, Arsenal managed to navigate the last two without any significant issues. Odegaard remains injured, but is working towards returning before too long.
However, November saw a return to the form that has troubled past seasons. Mikel Arteta has recently lost Gabriel to an adductor injury, while Riccardo Calafiori was ruled out of both of Italy's games due to a hip problem.
The silver lining is that Calafiori's injury is not thought to be too severe. Additionally, Odegaard has provided a positive update on his own situation.
Last week, football.london reported that the Gunners' captain had declined the chance to take a few days off, choosing instead to join his national team at the request of coach Stale Solbakken.
The Norway captain was present as his team secured victories over Estonia and Italy, confirming them as group winners and securing their place in next year's World Cup for the first time since 1998.
While Odegaard may not have participated in a playing capacity, his presence was valued. Being with the team also meant that the Arsenal captain was available for interviews with local media.
Following Norway's 4-1 victory over Italy on Sunday, Odegaard spoke to Norwegian outlet TV2 about his injury: "It's moving forward. The match today came a little too early... But it's starting to look better, so hopefully I'll be back soon."
This is certainly encouraging news for Arsenal, who face a challenging week against Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea when the break concludes. Whether Odegaard will feature in any of these matches, however, is yet to be determined.
Odegaard also shared his thoughts on Norway's qualification and his aspiration to participate in the World Cup. "The World Cup is one of the biggest things there is," he said.
"It's a dream I've had since I was little. To play for the national team and to play in the championship.
"I've been through a lot, I've been through a lot of tough downs. There have been some playoffs, there have been a lot of tough moments. So it's great to be where we are now."
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